Right now, I have about two months to decide what I will do with my cell phone. Although I currently have a Sony Ericcson w600i and am quite happy with it, it’s on its last legs and I’m starting to notice things that aren’t working properly. I’m also looking forward to jumping on the smart phone revolution.

I’m currently torn with what path I should take, however. Although I never would have said this a year ago, the iPod Touch is one of the coolest pieces of technology I have ever used, and therefore the new iPhone 3GS is one of the potential phone choices. I would prefer, however, something that I could write my own programs for. Google’s HTC Dream is also a fun phone. I have tried out a friend’s phone and was very impressed by it, although I was disappointed by the performance for simple things like smooth graphics on scrolling menus – something my iPod does better. Finally, there is the default of a Blackberry, but I was never quite sold on them on any particular point.

I’m torn between the Dream and iPhone for a number of different reasons. I’ve grown very fond of the iPhone for the intuitive design, smooth look, and functionality. There’s a lot of features which I’ve gotten quite used to; even things like the on-screen keyboard I am used to and have no trouble using anymore. That being said, I can definitely think of a few applications worth making, but Apple has cornered the development market for their product by forcing all users to develop on Apple systems only.

Of course, the decision on a plan depends on what phone I get and how much data I use. Although I could get away with a cheap $30 plan, I could go for something a little more impressive and get a hefty data plan, allowing me to stay connected wherever I go. Unfortunately, it looks like Rogers doesn’t offer cheaper plans with the iPhone, so I might be hooked in for a little more than I wanted to. Although I tried to price out some plans on the internet, it was really hard to figure out what would be the cheaper option. I don’t mind spending a little more up front for an overall cheaper plan, but I might have to go in to talk with a Rogers representative to figure out what is the best option for me. As always, I welcome suggestions and recommendations from the peanut gallery (ie. you) as to what route I should take. Personal experiences with this might prove to be more beneficial than the knowledge of a Roger’s representative.

On an off-topic note, a number of you have mentioned that the background should stay put on the site to make things easier on the eyes. I’ve heard your cries of pain and agony, and am working on it. It’s not as easy as just fixing the background with CSS. But, it’s in the works.